Benders: Defying Histroy
by Jaya Avendel
Summary: Thranduil learns of a tragedy later to occur in his life, and vows to stop it. But he has seventy five years until he must act. He counts on spending the time with his new friends and family, using his unique bending powers to kill orcs and help people in need. When he stumbles into a sacrificial party unintentionally, his life is turned upside down. Second in the Benders Series
1. Eight Years Later

"What a blessing to be out of Mordor!" Jaiz said, drinking in the fresh air. "The air is so clean! Breathe it in, Raileen. Your first taste of a better world, and freedom!"

Raileen smiled, his eyes beholding the blowing green grass with happiness. "I am grateful to have escaped the darkness of Mordor with such great friends."

"To where shall we travel?" Ellhamier asked.

Thranduil consulted his memory maps. "We should stay close to Gondor and Rohan in the event we are needed. Sauron could send orcs sooner then expected to terrorize small villages."

"What we need is a bar in a big city," Jaiz said. "We could collect all the news at a tavern or inn and then decide what to do."

"Where do we find a good tavern?" Raileen asked.

"In Gondor," Thranduil answered. "There are many towns and villages in Gondor. And where there are towns, there are always taverns."

"Why not travel to Rohan instead?" Ellhamier asked.

Thranduil grimaced. "The humans of Rohan take a joy in killing elves at the moment."

"Why?" Ellhamier demanded.

"Humans do many crazy things," Thranduil said.

"Well, the humans must change their minds about elves if they later alley with them against Sauron," Raileen remarked.

"That is true, but we still travel to Gondor," Thranduil said.

Ciran bowed mockingly. "I submit to the will of Lord Thranduil!"

Thranduil punched his brother on the arm. "Be quiet!"

"Of course, my lord," Ciran teased.

Thranduil frowned.

"Look!" Jaiz exclaimed suddenly, pointing. "Flyfire came back! And he brought horses with him!"

Thranduil spun around. The great moose cantered up to him, and whooshed warm air down his neck. Four white horses came to a halt behind the moose. Thranduil stroked Flyfire's sleek neck. "I am glad you came back," he murmured.

The horses and the moose were mounted, and the Five Masters set out for Gondor. As they rode, Thranduil looked up at the sky. Messenger hawks passed overhead against the blue sky, and the green grass met the fare horizon. "I wish Dailily were here," Thranduil said mournfully. "Look at the news up there, flying by."

"What a dismal thought," Jaiz said.

* * *

Eight years later:

Oropher woke to the sunlight streaming onto his face through the window. He smiled, remembering his dream. He had dreamed about his eight year-old son, Lailin. How he loved Lailin. He started to remove the soft blankets from around him, then stopped in shock. His wrists were shackled together! Sivagami stood over him, pocketing the key with a malicious smirk.

"Sivagami, what sins do you commit?" Oropher cried, struggling to escape his shackles.

"I am doing what I must," Sivagami replied coolly. She turned around as the door behind her opened and a small, blonde elfling skipped into the room. Lailin's blue eyes opened wide at the sight of his father. "Ada? Why are you in chains?"

"Run!" Oropher cried.

Lailin's eyes filled with confused tears as his mother grabbed him, and snapped heavy bands of metal over his small wrists. "Nana? What have I done wrong? Why are you angry with me?"

"Silence!" Sivagami snapped. She snatched a silk sash from the back of the armchair set against the wall to her left, and gagged Lailin with it tightly.

Oropher jumped from bed. "How can you be so cruel? He is your son! Guards!"

"Anyone who could hear you is long dead," Sivagami said, holding up her bloodstained hands. "They fell silently to my blades."

"What have you done?" Oropher groaned in horror.

"What I have always wanted to do!" Sivagami snapped. "And what Thranduil's presence always prevented! I have waited patiently the past eight years for Lailin to grow and fill with blood to please the Dark Lady. I will wait no more."

"You would not dare harm your own child!" Oropher said.

"I bore Lailin to serve one purpose. And the purpose was for sacrificial reasons, none other. I have no love for him," Sivagami answered.

"No! You would not dare!"

"I would, meleth. And your blood shall join his." Sivagami snatched up another sash, and gagged her husband. She linked Lailin's shackles to Oropher's with a length of chain, and jerked them through a concealed door in the wall into a dim tunnel beyond. "I need no aid in this; I will reach my destination with both of you alone. And power shall be mine! Great power!"

Sivagami walked to the door, and hurled a ball of flame onto Oropher's bed opposite her. The sheets caught flame, quickly spreading to devour the walls. Sivagami slammed the secret door and marched her captives down the cold, stone passageway, in the dark, away from the distraction.

* * *

 **I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings on this story. Your feedback is appreciated.  
**


	2. The Gathering

Raileen jumped off his horse, a ball of swiftly moving air carrying him upwards. He floated, catching passing messenger hawks and reading the messages they carried in their back harnesses before he returned the scrolls to their carriers and set the birds free. He moved through the sky, keeping pace with the galloping horses below, reading the news. He caught a dozen messenger hawks before he floated gently back down to his horse and settled in the saddle, holding a small scroll, and its messenger hawk. He let a small puff of air carry the scroll to Thranduil.

Thranduil held onto Flyfire with his knees and read the scroll, carefully unrolling the delicate paper. "Hmm, an invitation to a party hosted by Lord Dexxter. This invitation is addressed to a lord in Rohan. You had better send it on its way, Raileen."

"Yes, I intend to. but at a party for nobility, do you not think news and current events of interest will be discussed? We have spent the past eight years wandering the lands, learning the news at bars. Now we are in Gondor, with no means of learning the news except this party."

"Are you suggesting we sneak into Lord Dexxter's party, Raileen?" Jaiz demanded critically.

Raileen lowered his eyes. "Yes."

Jaiz's face spread into a wide grin. "I love it! What a brilliant idea!"

"We do not have invitations," Ciran pointed out. "And I am sure you have to present your invitation to Lord Dexxter's guards in order for them to let you into his home."

"I could forge an invitation," Thranduil said. "Using this invitation as a base." He waved the scroll in his hands.

"But who would the invitation be for?" Ellhamier asked. "None of us have any social standing or reputation. None of us would be invited to such a party."

Thranduil smiled. "My friends you forget I am the son of King Oropher of Greenwood the Great! I am certain Lord Dexxter would faint dead away if I were to grace his humble party!"

"And what about the rest of us?" Jaiz demanded indignantly. "Do you suppose we will be happy you loiter in the plains and wait for you to be done having a good time?"

Thranduil sighed. "Alas, I fear all of you will have to masquerade as my servants."

"Your servants?" Ellhamier said in horror.

"You could be my guards instead," Thranduil offered.

Ellhamier snorted. "What a rotten idea!" He transferred his gaze to the greenness of Gondor's hills all around him.

"You do not look like a noble prince," Jaiz said bluntly, looking at his uncle in his travel stained clothes. "You look like a filthy traveller. How on Middle Earth will you pass yourself off like a prince?"

"I will take a bath, one which my slave will provide," Thranduil said, grinning at Ciran. "And dress in silk robes and jewels. I brought along several pairs of dress robes and all my jewelry."

"I think you are allowing yourself to be carried away," Ciran said with a frown at his brother. "A certain no one will receive no shower if he does not stop acting up. Get my drift?"

"The party is held ten days from now," Thranduil said hastily.

"I wonder where Lord Dexxter's castle is?" Jaiz wondered.

"I will use my earth-bending to locate all large buildings in Gondor," Ellhamier offered. "One of them must belong to Lord Dexxter. He is a lord, after all."

"I bet there are a million large buildings in Gondor," Jaiz said sadly.

Ellhamier frowned.

"Dexxter providence," Thranduil said thoughtfully. "I know where our gracious host lives. The Dexxter family is very old, and I learned about them in geography; they have a large plot of land in Gondor. Come, if we head north, we will reach our destination in no time."

"An excellent time to remember your history," Ellhamier said loftily.

The Five Masters rode north, under Thranduil's direction. The wind rippled the grass passing under their mounts' hooves, hills spreading out around them in every direction. At night, Thranduil produced his collection of papers and inks from within his luggage and carefully forged an invitation for himself in the red firelight. When he finished, he returned the original invitation to its place on the messenger hawk, and allowed it to fly free, toward its destination in Rohan. Thranduil dried the forged invitation by the fire and allowed his companions to inspect it.

"Hmm, not bad," Ciran said grudgingly. "I should never have thought you possessed such a dishonest skill as forgery!"

Thranduil made the small flame in his hand swell into a ball. "I studied the art without my father's knowledge, to satisfy my urge to do something behind his back and get away with it. I have to admit, I succeeded quite well."

Ciran quirked an eyebrow. He returned the invitation to Thranduil. Thranduil carefully tucked the precious piece of paper into his scroll case and unwound a thread of fire from the ball in his hands. "Shall we discuss who hunts for dinner in these plains rich with meat?"

"What about you, lazy bones?" Ciran suggested, eying his brother.

"Oh, valar, no, his lordship feels too lazy to move an inch," Thranduil drawled, staring up at the starry sky.

"I will hunt dinner," Ellhamier said haughtily. "Any one can see we would all starve to death without me here! Besides, it would take all of you combined to catch us anything decent!"

* * *

 **Your feedback is appreciated. Thoughts having to do with the story only, please.  
**


	3. Into The Chaos

"May the grace of the valar rest with us," Jaiz breathed. He shifted on his horse, staring at the tall stone walls ahead of him. The great stone walls formed a square, a tall tower at each corner. The spires of the caste within the keep were visible over the tops of ramparts. A heavy iron gate stood in the wall of the keep facing toward Jaiz and his companions. A dusty road wound its way through the grass and ended at the gate. Soldiers lined the battlements above it, peering at the approaching party suspiciously, their armor and spears glinting in the sunlight.

"The valar would not dare bring misfortune upon us," Thranduil said merrily. He dressed in a silver and black silk robe with swallow-tailed sleeves and heavy full skirts. On his neatly combed hair, a circlet is pure silver encrusted with diamonds rested. He wore a ring with a diamond of such large proportions, it covered the finger he wore it on, and half of the one next to it. Around his neck, a heavy but glittering necklace of diamonds hung. The humans could not fail to notice the wealth he possessed; he was almost a riding mound of gold. Behind him, his companions rode, two abreast to each other, dressed in plain green robes with gold embroidery around the hems.

Flyfire approached the gate. Two guardhouses flanked the road inside the gate, built back against the wall behind it. A man with a red-plumed helmet stood on the ramparts above the gate, flanked by a row of soldiers. His red cloak rippled in the wind as he rested his hands on the wall hiding his lower half and leaned down, commanding, "Who are you?"

Thranduil assumed his most haughty air. "It is a sad day when humans do not recognize Prince Thranduil of Greenwood the Great."

The captain's frown showed even under his helm. "It is common knowledge you and your father are not on good terms. You are said to be mad."

"The business of my father and I long ago was cleared up," Thranduil said icily. "And it is no concern of yours. My father has sent me as his representative in response to Lord Dexxter's gracious invitation. His family and mine have known each other for generations."

The captain eyed Thranduil, his eyes drawn to the elf's glittering jewels. "Your invitation, please?"

A small door in the stone wall opened and a soldier came out. He approached Thranduil and held out his hand. Thranduil looked with distaste at the man and turned his head away. Jaiz handed the forged invitation to the soldier, saying, "His lordship will not associate with the lower ranks."

From the battlements, the captain gestured to Thranduil's companions. "Who are they?"

"My escort," Thranduil said haughtily. "you cannot expect me to travel alone in dangerous times, can you? My life would be lost many times over if it were not for the skills of my escort!"

"Invitations, please."

"I was informed by a personal letter from Lord Dexxter that my escorts' invitations are considered to be a part of mine," Thranduil said coldly.

"I will have to check that statement with his lordship," the captain said pleasantly.

"Do not bother yourself," Thranduil said in disgust. "I find your attitude to be insulting. You doubt my word? The word of Prince Thranduil? I will not go where I will be treated with such disrespect. I will return home, and explain matters to Lord Dexxter by letter." He started to turn Flyfire around.

A million thoughts roared through the captain's head and most of them involved utter disgrace and dismissal. Lord Dexxter would be furious if he learned Prince Thranduil had been turned away from the gates by him! who knew what his punishment would be.

"Wait, your lordship! I am sure everything is in order. You and your escort may enter!"

Thranduil sniffed and allowed Flyfire to trot forward as the iron gate rose from the ground to allow him admittance to the keep. After his companions entered, the gate fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Thranduil rode over the hard ground toward the flight of steps leading to the double doors of the castle. At the steps, he dismounted and allowed a group of servant boys to take Flyfire and his escorts' horses to the stables. The double doors opened and a man in a black robe came down the steps. "Allow me, my lords, to escort you to the gathering."

Rose vines surrounded the double doors. At the top of the stairs, a short landing stretched out with tall statues of lions on either side. Thranduil and his companions followed their guide. Thranduil hitched up his skirts and stepped mincingly over the steps, his eyes on the hem of his robe. Two soldiers pulled open the doors, closing them after the party had entered the long hall beyond.

Thranduil let his robes fall to the polished marble floor of the hall. The dark hall flickered with the light of the torches lining the walls, but the oily smoke rising from them made the air unappetizing. The man in black led the way through the castle. The servants and guards they passed all bowed respectfully to Thranduil, but he kept his eyes always ahead of himself. The man in black descended many flights of stairs until he came to a door set in the wall at the bottom of a flight of steps. The soldier on guard unlocked the door, and the guide led the way into the cold, damp passageway beyond.

The Five Masters walked down the passageway. The guide used a set of iron keys to unlock the many doors they came to, and lock them behind himself. At the last door, the sounds of many voices could be heard. The guide opened the door, softly announcing, "His lordship, Prince Thranduil." He departed after Thranduil entered the room.

The room held many people. Guards lined the walls of the room, their eyes centered on the crowds of people. The people were all dressed in black jerkins and tunics, weapon hilts glinting. Their voices echoed around. At raised stone platform stood at the head of the room, with a three foot high block of stone on its center. Carvings of serpents and horned demons covered the floor. Tow entwined serpents arched over the platform, their fangs dripping invisible venom. In front of the stone block stood a man in a black and red robe. His stringy black hair rimmed his sickly pale face. His skin stretched thin over the jutting bones of his face, his eyes pools of black smoke. Lord Dexxter held a dagger with a long, thin blade and a jeweled hilt.

"Today, loyal followers of power, we appease the thirst of the Dark Lady!" lord Dexxter declared. "Today, this group of loyal companions, will become a legend! We will rise from the ashes of nothingness and raise an army to aide Sauron in this war! With our aide, Sauron and the Dark Lady will rule this petty world, and reward us with great power for our efforts! The Lord and his wife will direct the beings of this world to put all their energy into the building of a great empire. This world will thrive! But it all begins here, my friends. It all begins with the summoning of demons to aide us. It all begins with the blood to summon the demons. It all begins with the sacrifices of royal blood. And with the blood of royalty our Sivagami has brought us this day, success is sure!"

Cries and cheers of enthusiasm greeted Lord Dexxter's speech. The spears of the guards pounded against the floor in time to the stamping feet and deafening shouts.

"Bring forth the sacrifices!" Lord Dexxter commanded. "Long has Sivagami suffered under the tyranny of King Oropher, naught but a petty breeder for his children. She has suffered willingly in order to bring us worthy sacrifices of noble blood! The Dark Lady recognizes her as a loyal follower, whose example will be followed by many in the future."

From a door in the wall came two soldiers. Between them they held a small, bruised elfling in ragged clothes. Tears ran down his pale face. The soldiers dragged the boy to the stone block and forced him to his knees before Lord Dexxter.

"Do not cry, little one," lord Dexxter said, wiping the tears from the elfling's face with his gloved hands. "This is a day to rejoice! You are serving the greater good. Through your spilled blood, the world will achieve a great age of power!"

The elfling shuddered. The soldiers slammed him down on the stone block, fastening chains attached to the stone around his wrists and ankles. The elfling struggled but he was held firmly.

From the same door came two more soldiers, dragging between them another elfling. This one too was bruised and ragged, but he struggled fiercely, screaming. The soldiers shoved him to the ground before Lord Dexxter, angrily hitting the boy. "Silence, you rat! Keep your mouth shut and your death will not be painful!"

The elfling huddled on the ground, sobbing.

Another door opened in the wall and Sivagami strode out, dressed in a dark leather tunic. She marched the stand beside lord Dexxter on her long, black clad legs. Four soldiers came behind her, their eyes on their responsibility. The elf's blue robe was ragged and he stumbled, his blonde hair hanging in dirty clumps. Dried tears and blood stained his face. Heavy shackles hung from his wrists, linking his hands together.

"Ada!" screamed the elfling on the stone block.

"Ada," sobbed the elfling on the floor.

Thranduil shook his head to clear the shock from his mind. Jaiz leaned over to him, and whispered in his ear, "Are those not your parents? What in the name of the valar transpires here?"

* * *

 **Any thoughts and suggestions on the story are appreciated. Thanks.  
**


	4. Gates of Fire

"Sivagami, I beg you; do not do this!" Oropher pleaded. "They are your children!"

"Lailin and Galion will serve the Dark Lady," Sivagami gloated. "And then your blood to will fill her cup. She will drink, and gain great power!"

Lord Dexxter raised the dagger he held over the elfling chained to the stone block's heart.

"No!" Oropher screamed.

"You are powerless, Oropher," Sivagami sneered. "Strike! Let his royal blood open the gates to the world of fire and demons!"

"No!" Oropher sobbed, held tight by soldiers. "Not Lailin. Please not Lailin."

A rush of fire filled the room. a ball of fire exploded at lord Dexxter's feet, driving him back from the altar. As the cloud of smoke cleared, Thranduil stepped up onto the stone platform, one hand outstretched, his robes swirling at his feet. "Oropher may be powerless, but my power has barely begun to grow. I will stop you, naneth."

"What fool allowed him entrance?" Sivagami screamed. She glared at lord Dexxter. "Kill the sacrifice! Kill him quickly! I will deal with this fool!" She flung a fireball at Thranduil. "You are inexperienced when it comes to bending fire, ion nin. You will fall easily to me! You cannot control your powers!"

Thranduil split Sivagami's fireball in half as it roared toward him, the flames exploding to his sides. He knew his companions would deal with the guards and corrupted worshippers while he dealt with his own mother!

Oropher tried to slip his hands out of the shackles but it was futile. He darted forward, seeing lord Dexxter was about to slit Lailin's throat. Seconds before he reached Lailin, fully prepared to sacrifice himself for his son, the ground shifted under his feet, throwing lord Dexxter to the floor and him stumbling against the altar. Four green clad figures rushed up onto the platform out of the worshippers. A shining sword blade flew into the hands of one, stabbing through the chest of an attacking soldier. With stunning speed, the elven warrior ripped his sword free of the dead man's chest.

One of the green clad elves approached Oropher. He took the shackles in his hands and blew cold breath onto the metal. When Oropher tugged, the metal shattered. The elf released Lailin from his bonds. Lailin rolled off the altar and stumbled to the safety of his father's embrace. Oropher caught his son and held him in a tight embrace, looking frantically around for Galion. He could hear the elfling screaming.

Lord Dexxter snarled. "Uphold the honor of the Dark Lady! Fight! Kill without mercy!"

The crowd of worshippers streamed toward the altar, drawing weapons, joined by the guards pouring from the doors in the room.

"Ellhamier, hold them off," said the blonde haired elf. "There is water within these walls but I need time to collect it." He held out his hands, concentrating.

Oropher shrank back against the far wall, watching the humans approaching with dismay. He hugged Lailin tight to his chest, his heart aching at the sound of his son's sobs. How could five people defeat hundreds?

A wall of fire swept across the floor toward him, coming from Sivagami's hands. Thranduil landed in front of his father, redirecting the fire back at his mother with a quick turn of his wrists. Sivagami snarled, her lips drawn back, jets of fire flashing from her hands and lancing in toward Thranduil. Sivagami began to speak.

"Gates of Fire, give unto this world power in the form of terror! Take this blood as your payment; drink it to gain strength, and unleash your horrors upon this world! Where others do not appreciate your greatness, I bow in awe to you! Come! Come now!"

Ignoring the words coming from his mother's mouth, thinking them to be senseless, Thranduil slowed the fire coming toward him and collected it into a whirling ball above one hand. He hurled it back at his mother, but she sliced it in half around her, falling into silence.

Oropher watched the elf known as Ellhamier erect a wall of stone between himself and the approaching angry worshippers. Raileen blew the wall toward the humans with a heavy gust of wind, his red hair blowing around his face. The wall crushed a dozen humans before crumbling into chunks across the stone floor.

Jaiz confronted Lord Dexxter. The human drew a sword from his belt and slashed it across Jaiz's chest. The cloth of his robe tore, only to reveal the shining metal of his armor. Jaiz smirked as lord Dexxter stumbled back in horror. He fell upon the man, his anger fueling his sword strokes. Lord Dexxter parried desperately, but Jaiz's elven speed overpowered him, and he found his eyes riveted to the sword blade stabbed through his chest.

Jaiz pulled his weapon free. "That is for all the innocent people you have murdered, you foul creature!" He spun to face his next foe. "Who is next? Who else wishes to pay the price for foul worship of evil?"

A curious rumbling filled the room, elating Sivagami. "Yes!" she cried, deflecting Thranduil's fire. "Ah, fool son, you have failed! The gateway is open! The more blood staining the stone, the more demons there will be! Any blood will do! Ah, my friends, we have succeeded! Power shall be ours!"

"Ciran, no!" Thranduil cried, but his words fell on the ears of his brother too late, and water poured from the walls, filling up the room to the ceiling. The soldiers and worshippers drowned, their bodies bumping along the ceiling. The Five Masters, Oropher, Lailin, and Galion stood surrounded by water but protected by Raileen's air bubbles. Sivagami was gone. The water ebbed away, leaving the dead sprawled soaking on the floor. Black smoke flowed from the hissing serpents entwined over the platform. The stone walls shuddered, cracking.

"Ellhamier, the time has come to flee," Thranduil said, backing against the wall as dust billowed from the cracking rock.

Ellhamier slammed his fists into the wall behind him. The wall opened, forming into a long tunnel. Ellhamier shoved Oropher and the twin elflings into the tunnel, then waited for his companions to enter before he closed it behind him. The ceiling of the tunnel cracked.

"Flee!" Raileen cried.

Ellhamier ran in the lead, bending the solid rock open before him, as it came tumbling down behind the running elves. He punched through the last layers of rock, and the eight stumbled out into daylight. Oropher caught his breath, noticing none of Thranduil's companions seemed to be panting in the least. He wondered if they ran out of collapsing buildings often.

The castle crumbled, its tall spires falling down and smashing into blocks of stone upon impact with the ground. The earth split and opened into ravines. The falling rocks drowned the screams of the unfortunates crushed within the falling building.

"Oh, valar!" Ciran breathed in horror. "So much death. The demons will be powerful. If only Sivagami had not opened the Gate of Fire! Alas; all is lost!"

"By the way, your mother is the nicest I ever met," Ellhamier said sarcastically to Thranduil.

Thranduil frowned. "A son cannot chose his mother."

The stone of the fallen castle shifted. Six dozen huge creatures rose from the dust, their bodies formed from chunks of stone, their eyes glowing pools of red. They stood ten times taller then Thranduil, their bodies thick and heavy. Sivagami came flying into the air by their heads on jets of fire. She pointed to Thranduil, commanding, "Kill the impure!"

The stone demons thundered toward Thranduil. Ellhamier's hands curled into fists. "I cannot control the stone within them! Some dark evil has transformed it into something beyond my control!"

Flyfire came galloping from behind Thranduil, followed by five horses. Ellhamier created a wall of earth to slow the stone demons down as the eight elves hurriedly mounted. Oropher held Lailin to his chest while Galion huddled in Ciran's arms. The wall of the keep loomed ahead as the riders fled from the stone demons. Ellhamier shifted the stone in the wall, creating a hole for the riders to gallop through, out into the open plains. A spray of stones flew into the air as the stone demons smashed through the wall and pursued the riders, their feet leaving behind deep imprints in the earth. Thranduil knew no horse could outrun the stone demons.

"Raileen, give me some cover quickly!" Ellhamier cried.

Raileen nodded. He twisted backwards on his horse, and let heavy winds sweep whirling dust into the air around the stone demons' heads to obstruct their view. Ellhamier knocked a hole into the ground.

"While the demons cannot see, run! We will hide underground."

Once every horse and moose was inside the hole, Ellhamier closed the earth. Blackness filled the space. Thranduil held up a ball of flame to provide illumination. Ellhamier nudged his horse forward and opened the tunnel further, tunneling deep into the confines of the earth. When Ellhamier judged they were deep enough in the earth to be safe from the stone demons, he opened the earth out into a wide cavern and dismounted.

The horses and Flyfire looked far from happy with the underground arrangements. Ciran called to the underground springs and guided them upward, to form a deep pool in one corner of the cavern. Thranduil lit a blazing fire in the center of the floor. Ellhamier stood with one hand on the cave wall. He turned away with a shake of his head. "The stone demons have gone and we are safe for now."

"The stone demons have gone to begin the spreading of terror in Gondor, most likely," Raileen said sadly. "By saving ourselves, we have placed the lives of many innocent villagers in danger."

"Well, sometimes you have to put yourself first," Ellhamier said unfeelingly.

"Will you help me out of my armor, gwada?" Jaiz asked, struggling with the clasps running down the side of his breastplate.

Thranduil smiled. "Yes. It is high time we got you out of your iron shell!"

"Are you hurt?" Ciran asked Oropher and the twin elflings.

Oropher shook his head as he settled down by the fire and fingered his filthy hair in disgust. Lailin leaned against his left side, looking at Ciran while Galion sobbed quietly in his lap. Oropher ran his hands over Galion's hair, whispering comforting thoughts to calm his son.

"Are you my brother?" Lailin asked Ciran timidly.

"Yes," Ciran said with a smile.

Oropher's head jerked up. He could not believe his ears; the elf had lied to his son! He started to speak angrily but Lailin said eagerly, "You are Thranduil?"

Ciran shook his head. "No; I am Ciran. That—" he tipped his head toward his brother—"is Thranduil."

Lailin looked confused. "But I have only two brothers. Ada said so. How can I have three?"

Ciran cleared his throat. "It is a complicated story."

"Your complicated story is more like a filthy lie," Oropher said angrily. "You are no son of mine!"

"You may remember a certain river siren," Ciran suggested.

Oropher's eyes widened.

Ciran smiled gently. "Yes, I am her son. Illegitimate, as it is, but her blood and yours runs very strongly in my veins. This is my son, Jaiz." He indicted Jaiz, struggling with Thranduil over the removal of the last shoulder plate to Jaiz's armor.

Oropher had to admit Ciran looked like Thranduil is some small ways. He transferred his gaze back to Galion, wishing the elfling would stop crying. Nothing seemed to calm him.

"It is all right, ion nin," Oropher said gently. "We are safe now. Safe. You have nothing to fear. No one here will hurt you."

Galion shuddered, trembling in Oropher's embrace, apparently not believing what he was told.

Thranduil sat down by his father and held out his arms. "Allow me to try, ada. Perhaps I can calm him."

Oropher shifted Galion to Thranduil's lap. Galion stiffened and looked up fearfully into his brother's eyes. He squirmed, clearly not happy with the arrangements. More tears trickled out of his eyes. He gasped for breath as his cries turned to uncontrollable, and unstoppable sobs. Thranduil's fingers gently stroked his hair, while another arm held him tightly.

Thranduil settled the elfling in his lap, noticing how thin and tired Galion looked. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, matching the color of the bruises along his arms and face. Thranduil stopped stroking Galion's hair and lit a small, pulsing ball of fire on one hand. He held it out where Galion could see it. "Focus on the fire, little brother. Let it calm you."

But at the sight of the fire, Galion screamed, his cry echoing through the cavern. He scrambled out of Thranduil's arms, and stumbled backwards, begging, "No! No! Please, it hurts! I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry." Tears streamed down his cheeks.

Thranduil let the fire expire. He cast a confused look in Oropher's direction. Oropher sighed. "The story is long and complicated. Allow me to begin."

* * *

 **Any story related thoughts or feelings are appreciated.  
**


	5. Trials

Oropher approached Galion and gathered the weeping boy into his arms. Galion sobbed into his father's chest, curling into a shaking ball, his fists clenched beneath his bruised face. Stroking Galion's hair to calm him, Oropher settled down by the fire and looked at Thranduil.

"During my time as Sivagami's captive, I learned many disturbing things. She is not the gentle elleth you knew, ion nin. All her life, Sivagami thirsted for power. Being Queen of Greenwood the Great was never enough for her. She had you for the purpose of sacrificing you to the Dark Lady and achieving her dream then. Instead she was forced to wait. She said you were too full of spirit and too powerful for her to capture."

Thranduil snorted.

"Sivagami suffered, if it may be called that, in silence for thousands of years until, finally, one day, you left home, leaving her with another opportunity to achieve her dream of power. She bore Lailin and, as far as I knew, only Lailin. But, to my horror, I discovered Sivagami had twins. Galion came before Lailin, even before the healers had reached her chambers during the birth. Sivagami saw at once, though how she could tell, I am at a loss to understand, that Galion possessed bending abilities. She hid him and raised him in secret, training him to use his bending gifts to be her slave protector. I suppose the idea of treating her son like an animal appealed to her. She bore Lailin for sacrifice and Galion for slavery."

Thranduil grimaced into the silence, wondering how his mother had come to be so cruel.

"I understand she beat and burned Galion with unspeakable cruelty whenever he displeased her," Oropher said. "I witnessed the level of her idea of punishment during my time as her prisoner. She took great joy in beating both twins and making me watch."

Thranduil flinched, understanding now Galion's sobs and his fear of fire.

"I was able to spend little time with Galion," Oropher said. "He still lives in confusion and fear. But, after the horrors he has been through, I do not blame him."

Thranduil watched Oropher wrap both arms around Galion and rock him gently in his lap. Lailin moved away from his father's side and crawled into Thranduil's arms. Thranduil smiled down at the little elfling, kissing his bruised cheek. Lailin rested his head on his brother's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Me and Ellhamier will hunt our dinner, else we will starve this night!" Raileen said, rising to his feet.

"The stone demons could still be in the area," Ciran warned.

Ellhamier opened a tunnel to the surface and disappeared into it wit Raileen behind him. Jaiz tugged off his boots and dipped a bare toe into the pool of water in the dark corner of the cavern. He jerked it back, "Ooh, freezing!"

Thranduil passed Lailin to Ciran and joined Jaiz at the pool's edge. He dipped his hands into the cold water, channeling his warmth into the cold. The water let off clouds of steam. Thranduil withdrew his hands and straightened, noticing Galion had stopped crying to watch him with wide eyes.

Jaiz stripped down and plunged into the hot water with a sigh of pleasure. Thranduil removed his armor plate by plate until he stood in his clothes. Stretching, he looked at Galion and asked, "Would you like to take a bath with me?"

Galion hesitated, looking down at his dirty, bloodstained self. After a moment he nodded and clambered out of his father's lap. He stumbled toward Thranduil. Thranduil helped Galion out of his ragged clothes and guided him to the water's edge. While Galion waded in the shallow water, adjusting to its temperature, Thranduil dug around in his luggage until he found the bottles of shampoo he sought. Returning to the pool, he stripped off his clothes and walked out into the deepness of the water, encouraging Galion to follow him.

Lailin scrambled out of Ciran's arms. "May I take a bath to, ada?"

Oropher nodded. He watched Lailin fling off his clothes and throw himself into the water at Thranduil's feet.

"I mean no offense," Ciran said apologetically to his father, "but you smell of death and grief. Perhaps you too should partake in the cleaning procedures?"

Oropher heaved himself to his feet. At the pool's edge, he shed his robe and swam out into the deep water. He watched Thranduil shampoo Galion's dirty, bug infested hair. For the first time, he could see the layers upon layers of old and new bruises mottled together on his sons flesh, turning the color of his skin a mixture of purple, yellow, and green. Galion held still until the shampoo was out of his hair. He watched Thranduil intently as his brother scrubbed him down, his wide blue eyes full of apprehension.

Jaiz tossed his bottle of shampoo to Oropher and climbed out of the pool to dry himself off by the fire. As he stepped onto dry ground, Ellhamier and Raileen returned, holding six plumb birds by the feet.

"What is the news?" Ellhamier asked with interest, tossing all six birds to Ciran for plucking.

"Sivagami is aiding the Dark Lady and we have to stop her," Jaiz answered, tugging on his clothes.

"Her, and six dozen stone demons!" Ellhamier snorted. His eyes fell on Galion's bruised body and he fell into silence.

"Will I be able to fire bend like you one day?" Galion asked, looking timidly at his elder brother.

"Yes," Thranduil answered. "It might take you some time to find the courage to do so, though." He patted the boy's pale cheek.

Galion swallowed. He waded out of the water. Thranduil came behind him, handing his brother a towel to dry himself off with. Galion sat by the fire, huddled in the folds of the towel. Thranduil dressed and joined Galion, pulling the elfling into his lap. Galion looked up at him, his teeth chattering, wet hair stringy. His eyes opened wide with amazement as Thranduil's body gave off a warm cloud of air. He stopped shivering almost immediately.

Oropher watched Thranduil from the water as he scrubbed Lailin off. Thranduil was so kind and loving. Galion showed no fear in his arms, even though Thranduil was a complete stranger to him. The smell of roasting meat drifted to his nostrils, awakening pangs of hunger in him. When had he last eaten? Lailin smelled the smell of dinner to, for he dragged his father out of the pool. Oropher dried himself off with a towel and dressed.

Ciran washed and dried the discarded clothing. The six birds roasted in the flames of the fire, giving off a wonderfully delicious smell. Ciran handed Lailin his clean clothes and watched the elfling dress hurriedly. Lailin ran to sit in his father's lap, across from Thranduil.

"Have you ever bent fire before, Galion?" Thranduil asked gently.

Galion nodded. "Naneth . . . she made me."

"Would you like to try bending some fire now?"

Galion looked up into Thranduil's kind eyes, his own showing sickening fear. "Will you—will you punish me if I fail?"

"Of course not!" Thranduil exclaimed. He reached into the fire before him and withdrew his hand holding a ball of flame. "Cup your hands, Galion."

Galion cupped his hands. Thranduil placed the fire in the cup. Galion squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to feel stinging pain. But the fire stayed in his hands, harming him not. Galion cracked open one eye. He looked up at Thranduil with a wide smile, then across at his father, "Ada, look at what I can do!"

The light of the flames flickered across Galion's happy face as he stared into the ball of fire he held in his small hands, immersed in his own world. Thranduil leaned back on his hands with a small sigh, wondering why Ellhamier looked so black.


	6. Plans and Pains

Oropher awoke, stiff and uncomfortable. He shifted on the hard ground, grimacing. His body was used to soft mattresses and silken sheets. Lailin murmured in his arms, moving closer to his father in his sleep. On the other side of Lailin, Galion slept, his eyes closed, marking his exhaustion. Oropher blinked up at the cavern ceiling. The fire still burned brightly in the center of the floor. Carefully, he sat up, making sure not to let the cool air under the blanket as he tucked it around his twin sons. Stretching, he looked around for his eldest son.

Ciran lay asleep, his face a grimace for Jaiz was sprawled across him in what looked like a rather uncomfortable position. Ellhamier lay on his stomach, breathing evenly the breath of sleep. Thranduil sat by the pool of water, staring at it aimlessly.

Oropher sat down by his son. Thranduil turned his head to meet his father's gaze.

"For how long did you sleep?" Oropher asked.

Thranduil shrugged. "I woke up an hour ago." He rolled the ball of fire in his hands. Oropher found it unsettling.

"Does it not hurt you to submerge yourself in water? Being a child of flame, water cannot be your best friend."

Thranduil smiled softly. "The water harms me only when my flames are physically burning. As for it being my best friend, it is surprisingly close to me." He glanced over his shoulder at Ciran.

"What will you do now?"

"I must defeat the stone demons, ada, and stop Sivagami from destroying innocent lives. Then I must take you and the twins home."

"You will not stay home with us?" Oropher asked hopefully.

Thranduil lowered his eyes to his hands. "No, I think not. I am enjoying my freedom, ada. And you are difficult to live with. I am sorry."

"How can I fix my mistakes if you will not even give me a chance?" Oropher pleaded.

Thranduil hesitated.

"If you leave us immediately upon returning us home, it will hurt the twins' souls," Oropher continued. "They love you, Thranduil. They would not understand your actions if you left! They do not deserve to suffer for my mistakes!"

"I will stay home for a short amount of time," Thranduil said finally. "For you are correct in your words. But I will not truly come home until my great thirst for freedom is quenched."

Oropher nodded. "If that is your wish, I will not attempt to thwart you. Do you—do you think you can stop Sivagami?"

"I will twist her ugly neck from her shoulders!" Ellhamier's voice said softly, brimming with anger. "I swear I will end her!"

Oropher winced. His wife may have committed terrible acts of wickedness, but she was still his wife. His mind dwelt on the happy times they had spent together, and how kind she had been to Thranduil.

"Ellhamier!" Thranduil said in surprise, turning to see the elf standing behind him with his hands clenched. He was not used to hearing such bloodthirsty words from the earth bender.

Ellhamier sat down by Thranduil. "I swear I will. She deserves it, after what she did to Galion! I know what abuse feels like, Thranduil, and I know how much she hurt him inside. People who abuse children deserve to burn in the wrath of the valar for eternity. You may forgive her, but I never will."

Thranduil squeezed Ellhamier's hand in his. "Seeing what she did to him must have awakened painful memories in you."

Ellhamier swallowed as he nodded.

Thranduil's fingers sought out Oropher's hand next. "It must hurt you to here the love of your life spoken of in such a manner. I am truly sorry we must do what we must do, ada."

Oropher leaned against Thranduil. "My feelings are not to daunt you. I too feel angry toward her, and I accept and understand what must be done."

Ciran and Jaiz stirred behind the trio. Thranduil heard them sit up, untangling the blankets from around them. Ciran groaned. "Oh, Jaiz, you have slept on me and knotted half my muscles! Oh, I feel half dead."

"Sorry, ada," Jaiz said, sounding far from it. "I have no idea how I ended up sleeping the way I did. It must have been my dream, I suppose."

"Oh, indeed," Ciran grumbled.

His voice awoke Raileen. Seeing everyone awake, Ellhamier asked loudly, "Do we have a genius plan for killing the stone demons? Perhaps you dreamed of one in your sleep, Jaiz?"

"Be serious," said Jaiz with a scowl.

"We will have to separate the demons into smaller groups," Thranduil said slowly. "We cannot take down all six dozen at one time. Defeat would be certain, and not in our favor."

"Agreed!" Jaiz said. "How will we split the demons into groups? It will be a hard job, from where I look at it."

"I have an idea," Ellhamier volunteered. "What if I create three or four small towns around the vicinity the stone demons must be occupying? The stone demons make split up in order destroy the towns and spill more innocent blood for the Dark Lady!"

"My mother," Raileen said softly.

"What?" Oropher exclaimed. He turned to Raileen with something akin to hate in his eyes. "You are the offspring off Sauron? How dare you walk among us?"

Raileen bit back tears. "I am not like my parents! I ran from them. They treated me—they treated me with unspeakable cruelty! I hated them. Here I have found love and acceptance."

"That you do not deserve!" Oropher exclaimed.

Raileen dropped his eyes to the floor. "I know. I am the son of evil. I do not deserve the love or acceptance that I have found. I deserve a hard, painful death. But my—my friends are kinder then you. They love me despite my faults."

Oropher opened his mouth but closed it, realizing that perhaps he had spoken out of turn. He saw the tears in Raileen's eyes, and the pain behind them. He knew in the moment Raileen had been through more horrors then he wished to recount and that he did deserve the kindness he had found.

"I am sorry," he said gently. "I spoke without thinking."

Raileen swallowed bravely. "I do not blame you. Many fall to the wrong conclusions when they learn of my heritage."

"Hello!" said Ellhamier loudly. "Can we return to the subject at hand?"

"Of course," Oropher said. "Pardon my interruption."

Muttering, Ellhamier turned back to his companions. "Parents!" he said.

"The stone demons may fall for the diversion of false towns," Ciran said. "And they may split up to conquer them. But there is another possibility. The stone demons may come to the towns in one mass to take them down one by one. If that were to happen, only the valar could save us."

"And we all know they have a tendency to ignore us," Ellhamier said with distaste.

"You must speak only good of the valar," Oropher broke in.

Ellhamier looked at Oropher in mock confusion. "Pardon, who are you again, and why are you daddying me?"

Oropher found it wise not to reply.

"All of us together could defeat fourteen stone demons," Jaiz said thoughtfully. "If the stone demons did split up, and we all waited for a portion of them at one false town, we could defeat them."

"But your plan would only work once," Ellhamier argued. "The stone demons will figure out four of the towns are false and they will not fall for the bait again, especially once they find some of their companions dead!"

"Every stone demon dead counts," Jaiz replied. "Even if we must do it one by one, we will defeat them."

"It is a lame plan," Ellhamier said with a glare. "Of course I can make four of five small, fake towns to attract the stone demons. But how will we make the towns look inhabited?"

"I will accompany you on your task and lit small fires in each house to give the impression of smoke," Thranduil answered. "Smoke in houses is usually associated with people."

"You think of everything," Ellhamier growled.

"We will have to split up temporarily," Jaiz said thoughtfully. "Ellhamier will create the first false town a few miles from here. Me, Ciran, Raileen, and your family, Thranduil, will wait there for any stone demons while you and Ellhamier travel in a circle, creating more towns at equal distances apart until you rejoin us here."

"I have no objections," Thranduil said. "Ellhamier, create the first false town a few miles from here. We will follow you on horseback."

And so the war against the stone demons began.


	7. Experience Is What Counts

The elves devoured breakfast. The horses and moose were mounted. Ellhamier opened a tunnel back to the surface and the animals climbed out into late morning light. Raileen drew in a deep breath of fresh air with a sigh of appreciation.

The riders rode two miles without interruption. Galion looked at the green grass and blue sky with wide, unblinking eyes. When Ellhamier judged they had reached an appropriate site to build a town on, he halted the horses and dismounted. He held out his hands, spreading out the fingers, manipulating the earth before him. He imagined the square shapes of clustered houses, bringing the shapes to life with his hands. The ground trembled, splitting open to give birth to the solid forms of houses. The walls slid from the ground, the roofs growing out of the walls and lying flat across the top of the house. The roofs all had one hole in the center of them. The shapes of the doors in the walls would not open but the illusion was enough to make the town look real. Thranduil created smoky fires within each house. The smoke streamed from the hole in the roof.

"The fires will last four hours," Thranduil said as he mounted Flyfire. "Wait for us here. Stay safe, ada."

Thranduil and Ellhamier galloped away to complete their joint task. Oropher wondered how he would protect his small sons from the might of the stone demons.

Raileen jumped lightly onto the roof of one house and perched there, keeping a lookout for any stone demons. Ciran located all the underground spring beneath him for bending purposes so he could have the water when he needed it. Jaiz stood with his armored arms folded across his chest, looking grim. Oropher studied the sharp blade of the sword Jaiz had equipped him with. He looked over at Jaiz. "How old are you?"

"One hundred and fifty," Jaiz answered. "But I am not the youngest! Ellhamier is only forty five, poor thing."

"No wonder he has such an attitude," Oropher remarked.

Jaiz shrugged. "I do not think his age has anything to do with it. Thranduil is our leader and he is not the oldest among us. Experience is what counts!

* * *

 **This chapter is so appallingly short, I have no right to call it a chapter! You are under no obligation to leave a review unless something among the three hundred and ninety seven words really resonates with you!  
**


	8. False Plans

Ellhamier finished the last of the five towns he had created. "We should hurry back to our companions. I am done; you can light the fires. How long have we been?"

"About two hours," Thranduil replied. He moved to start the fires, but the ground beneath him shook. "Ellhamier! This is no time for an earthquake!"

"It is not me!" Ellhamier said, looking hurt. "Stone demons approaching. About three dozen."

"Three dozen!" Thranduil gasped. "We must flee!"

"Too late!" Ellhamier said as a huge foot came down a few feet away from him. Fear blossomed in his eyes as thirty six of the demons surrounded him and Thranduil. He backed up against his companion, certain he stared death in the face.

Thranduil closed his eyes to control his mounting panic. He opened them, feeling Ellhamier stiffen.

"Fight for your life, Ellhamier," Thranduil said. "There is no escape for us and there will be only one set of victors here. Stone demons have no mercy; they have no heart."

Ellhamier swallowed. He could tunnel underground and leave Thranduil on his own. No! Not after the hope Thranduil had given him. If he must die, he might as well die with his friend. He looked up at the stone demons. A fist came down at his feet, causing the ground to shake.

"Stone demons are weak in the eyes!" Thranduil yelled, surrounding himself with a ring of fire. He ducked away from an approaching fist, shooting a bolt of fire upward. It crashed into the stone demon's face, becoming one with the red of the demon's eyes. The demon howled, stumbling backwards and crashing his companion behind him. Both stone demons tumbled clumsily to the ground. Thranduil bore himself upwards on jets of fire, giving himself a clear shot at the demons' faces. He shot two flaming arrows from the tips of his fingers, following their smoking path into the glowing demon eyes. Both demons fell limp, crumbling apart into large chunks of demonic stone.

A large hand knocked into Thranduil and sent him reeling backward through the air. Using the stabilizing force of his fires, he recovered his balance but not before the stone demons behind him swung their fists at him. Desperately, Thranduil maneuvered his way between the swinging arms and fists, the upset air currents making it hard to move with precision. He could not gain any altitude; there were too many arms in his way. Gritting his teeth, Thranduil spun to face the stone demons. Their faces were close to him, and he floated level to them, the fires burning beneath his feet keeping him airborne. Thranduil punched both arms forward, a flaming barrage of missiles flying from the knuckles of his fists. The missiles sank into the individual, glowing eyes of two stone demons. The demons crumbled, crashing to the ground. As Thranduil silently cheered, a fist knocked into his side. The world spun. Thranduil felt one of his ribs crack. He drifted to the ground, stumbling on his feet, drawing in a breath with a pained groan. Stone demon feet stomped around him, cracking the earth beneath them. Thranduil wrapped an arm around his waist, groaning. Maybe more then one rib had snapped. He was alone. No one could help him. He had to fight or die. Die? Never! He had a life to live. He had a father to save sixty-seven years from now. Dying was not an option!

Thranduil straightened and ran, ducking past stone demon feet. He raised his hands, creating a wall of fire. With the flames roaring high behind him, he turned to face the stone demons, his eyes glowing with the reflection of the flames. His broken ribs hurt but the pain added to his awareness. His blood raced through his veins, boiling with life. The heat inside his body begged to escape. He held it in. Stone demon feet trampled around him, heavy fists landed on the ground inches from his body. Thranduil darted between the fists and feet, his cloak flying behind him on the breeze. He leapt, propelling himself upward on fire, flying above the stone demons heads. He created a horizontal wall of fire in his wake, separating the wall into a million fiery shards as he spread his fingers apart. He twisted his wrist back, and the shards flew downward, exploding over the stone demons. The demons roared, their yells shaking the ground. They tripped and stumbled over one another in their haste to reach Thranduil. One of them broke away from its companions, racing toward Thranduil. Thranduil held out both his hands, bringing to life a wide cone of fire. It hit the stone demon in the chest and burned there, pounding at the demon's chest. The fire shoved the demon back with its force, melting a hole through its chest. The stone demon crumpled.

"There are too many!" Ellhamier called. "I fear this will be our last fight!"

Thranduil drew his sword. He flew forward, thrusting his blade into the eye of a stone demon. He flung himself backward, pulling his sword free of the demon's eye as it crumpled to the ground. "You erected whole mountains, Ellhamier! Believe in yourself!"

"I am trying!" Ellhamier said, biting his lip. "Give me some cover!"

Thranduil glanced over at Ellhamier. The six crumbled corpses of stone demons lay around Ellhamier. He drew in a deep breath. Ellhamier was asking for the impossible; he was busy protecting his own life and he needed every second of his time.

"Goheno nin, Ellhamier," Thranduil called. "I cannot help you!"

"What do you mean?" Ellhamier demanded angrily. "All I am asking for is a little smoke!"

"I wish with all my heart I could help you but I need my fire over here. I do not have the time to make you smoke."

Ellhamier growled. He sent a boulder slamming into a stone demon's head, crushing in its skull. The truth was he could make his own cover but he too needed all his powers to defend his life. He knew he asked for the impossible, but he had to have the cover.

"Please, Thranduil, I am begging you! I need only a little smoke to keep my demons confused for a few minutes. Please?"

Thranduil gritted his teeth. He hurled himself backward through the air, giving himself a few free seconds before the stone demons caught up to him. He spun his hands in the air, hurling the resulting cloud of smoke down over Ellhamier and his stone demons. A heavy fist slammed into his stomach and Thranduil grunted, his fires dying. he crashed to the ground, thinking dazedly, _Ellhamier better have a good reason for wanting that smoke!_

* * *

 **Story related thoughts are appreciated.  
**


	9. Battle

"Stone demons approaching," Raileen called.

"How many?" Jaiz asked.

Raileen answered grimly, "Three dozen, plus Sivagami."

Jaiz bit his lip. "Valar, be with us. Somehow Sivagami must have figured out our plan! I hope Thranduil and Ellhamier come back to us alive."

"They will," Ciran said. "They have to. Come, we must protect our own lives."

The stone demons charged into the false town, kicking over the houses and sending chunks of earth flying. Sivagami flew at their facial height, on jets of fire. She came down to the ground on the dusty earth and smiled at her enemies. "The Dark Lady will harvest the power of your souls! Kill them all!"

The stone demons advanced in a terrifying line.

Jaiz skipped away to the left, climbing onto the rooftop of the nearest house. He jumped from the roof, cartwheeling up the nearest stone demon's outstretched arm, and plunged his sword into the ominously glowing left eye from the creature's shoulders. As the demon toppled backwards, he pulled his sword free, and leaped onto the shoulders of the next stone demon. He slipped, and plunged his sword into the demon's hard chest to keep himself from falling. His fingers slipped on the hilt of his sword as the demon roared. Rough fingers grabbed him around the waist and sent him flying. Jaiz twisted into a roll to absorb the shock of hitting the ground. He came back up to his feet, dizzy and weaponless; his sword was still stuck in the chest of the stone demon! Jaiz growled and broke into a run. He had to retrieve his sword!

Raileen snapped open his fans. As the house beneath him was swept away by a large hand, he manipulated the air currents, whipping them into a whirlwind. The whirlwind caught the falling chunks of stone from the destroyed house in its funnel. Raileen turned the whirlwind on two of the stone demons, catching them in the spinning currents. The stone demons spun hopelessly upward until they were spat out the top of the funnel. They fell back to earth and were impaled through the chest by Ciran's ice stalagmites. The chunks of earth from the house came raining down on their bodies.

Ciran melted the stalagmites back into a water whip to defend himself with. He flung the water upward, freezing it into a solid wave. He separated the ice into a wall of daggers floating at his command. Raileen sent a gust of strong wind flying toward the daggers. The wind propelled the daggers forward, and the shards rained down on the stone demons.

Sivagami moved to melt the ice daggers with her fire. She shot a blast of hot fire into the path of the icy missiles, but a wave of water washed across the sky, and her blast of fire went out with a hiss. The ice shards rained down on the stone demons and five of them fell, pierced by many ice shards each. Sivagami turned her full attention to the water bender, growling. He was her biggest threat as a fire bender, and he must die before her victory could be certain.

Oropher gave his shoulder to Jaiz. Jaiz leapt onto his shoulder, then leaped again, flinging himself upward at the stone demon with his sword in its chest. He grabbed the hilt of he weapon and hung onto it. He swung himself to the left, letting go of the hilt, flipping himself around to land with his feet on the hilt. Jaiz drew his hand back and rammed his dagger into the demon's eye. As the demon died, Jaiz grabbed his sword by the hilt and pulled it free. He tumbled to the ground, regaining his feet at Oropher's side.

"Whoever taught you taught you well," Oropher said.

"Thranduil taught me," Jaiz answered, panting. He was tempted to say more but realized this was not the time.

A fist came down toward Oropher. Jaiz readied his sword but Oropher beat him to it. He sidestepped the fist and sliced it off at the wrist. The stone demon howled, clutching its stump. It jerked backward, loosing its balance and falling. Oropher leapt onto its chest and stabbed his sword into its eye.

"At least you can say you killed one stone demon," Jaiz said drily. "Ten down, twenty six plus Sivagami to go. Whew, what a job!"

 _Sivagami_ , thought Oropher with bitter regret, _she has the power to kill any one of us. Who will it be?_

Jaiz grabbed Oropher's wrist and tugged him out of the way of another attacking fist. "Stay in the present! There is no time to think! Ada will take care of Sivagami!"

Could Ciran defeat Sivagami? Sivagami was a full-blooded bender while Ciran was only half river siren. Was he a match for her?

Oropher and Jaiz fought on.

The sun was high in the sky behind Sivagami. The sun fueled her fire. She laughed at Ciran. "I will defeat you, bastard child, and the Dark Lady will feast on your blood!"

Ciran gritted his teeth, freezing a wall of water before him to block Sivagami's fire. The flames curled and snapped, trying to reach him. Ciran whipped another stream of water around from behind him, dousing the flames. Sivagami hissed.

"I am not a bastard that will stand to be insulted!" Ciran said. "Watch your tongue!"

Sivagami screamed, shooting twin jets of fire from her hands at Ciran. Ciran gasped, barely maintaining his hold on the water wall holding off the powerful flames. He was pushed back several feet. Sivagami screamed in delight, putting more force into her fire. She showed no signs of relenting. Ciran groaned. The fire burned, slowly evaporating his water shield. He could not add more water fast enough. Sivagami unleashed another explosion of flames with unexpected timing. The fire burned through his water shield, and hurled Ciran to the ground. He picked himself up and turned to face Sivagami as she strode toward him.

"So stubborn," Sivagami sneered. "So proud. You have no right to pride or dignity! You are naught but a lowly, half-breed bastard! Die!"

Ciran fell to his knees under the force of the fire Sivagami cast down upon him. It pounded at his liquid shield. Sweat popped out on his brow. He strained, trying to resist the fire. The world spun. He lost his concentration and the water splashed to the ground aground him. Burning flames rushed across him and everything turned black. Ciran fell onto his side and lay still.

"Ada!" screamed Jaiz. "No!"

Sivagami grinned, holding balls of flame in her hands. She turned to Raileen. "You will be next to fill the Dark Lady's cup! Come die!"

Raileen broke away from the stone demons, leaving Oropher and Jaiz to fend for themselves. Jaiz could feel despair in his heart as he looked at the twenty stone demons he and Oropher must kill without any bender help. Was this how it would all end?


	10. Lunar Mystery

Ellhamier split the ground open in two beneath the stone demons. They plunged down into the ravine but were quick to begin climbing up, punching through the earth. Ellhamier closed the ground over their heads, knowing the earth would only hold the monsters within it for so long.

"Wake up, Thranduil!" he screeched. "Wake up and do something!"

Thranduil stirred. He staggered to his feet, groaning, taking in the situation with a dazed expression.

"Do something!" Ellhamier yelled. "Are you a half wit? We will die in a minute, and I blame you!"

Thranduil shook his head to clear it. His fires flamed up, bringing with them sharp clarity. He shot skyward on his jets, above the earth below which the stone demons were broke through. Once he was high enough, he clapped his hands together and a wide, flat line of fire shot forth. It poured down upon the ravine as Ellhamier reopened it, engulfing the stone demons and burning them unto death. Ellhamier slammed the earth closed over their corpses. Thranduil came down to the ground, the fire beneath his feet dying. He stumbled dizzily.

"Come on, Thranduil," Ellhamier urged. "We have no time for rest; we must help our companions! They could be in dire peril. Come on!"

Thranduil blinked. "Dire peril . . . yes . . . ada! Lailin! Galion! Ciran! Jaiz! Valar, we must hurry!" He snapped out of his reverie, flinging himself onto Flyfire.

Ellhamier mounted his horse. "We should reach our companions in forty minutes, at the least."

As horse and moose ran, Thranduil said, "We must pray to the valar our companions will be alive by the time we reach them."

The sun was beginning to set, sending purple and blue streaks across the sky, stretching out until their ends dissolved into wisps of color. It would be dark by the time they reached their destination.

Thranduil and Ellhamier rode in silence. The sun slipped under the horizon, and grey twilight covered the world like a restful blanket. Ahead, in the dusk, the dim shapes of the first false town were visible. The tall, hulking forms of stone demons could be seen illuminated by flashes of fire.

"Sivagami," Thranduil murmured.

Dismounting and leaving their mounts out of danger's path, Ellhamier and Thranduil ran toward the half destroyed town, crouching behind the crumbling remains of one house. They peeked around the corner.

Sixteen stone demons surrounded Jaiz and Oropher. Ciran lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes unblinking. Raileen doubled over at the waist, gasping. Sivagami brandished flaming whips, her fire burning strong. The fire swished over Raileen's head. A cruel gleam showed in her eyes and darkness seemed to twist through her fair skin.

"You cannot resist me, air bender!" Sivagami cried in a voice that was not her own. "You cannot resist the power of the Dark Lady! You cannot resist me! Come forth to meet your doom!"

Raileen straightened, clearly drained of much of his energy.

Ellhamier charged to help Jaiz and Oropher fend off the stone demons. Thranduil stepped out in front of Raileen, pushing the tired elf back. Somehow the Dark Lady had taken over his mother's body and was using her powers as well of those of her host.

"Well, look who has returned," Sivagami said, her lips curling in disgust. "The half-breed prince and the slave boy! You are too late, Thranduil, for your brother lies dead!"

Thranduil glanced at Ciran. "I am here to stop you."

Sivagami flung back her head and laughed. "Stop me? Stop me! Foolish boy! Your father and nephew stand at the edge of their lives! Ciran is dead, Raileen is spent. And Ellhamier will last for a short time before he too falls! What can you do?"

Sivagami held out her hands. A wave of fire poured from her fingertips, rushing toward Thranduil. Thranduil turned his hands sideways, bending the fire apart, away from him. the flames whooshed past on either side of him but Thranduil was not prepared for the raw power of the fire. Sivagami spun the fire in a circle around Thranduil, trapping him within the flaming confine. With one hand she controlled the fire, bending it to close in on Thranduil. He was too weak to hold it back for much longer. With her other hand, she reached up to the sky, and called down a fork of lightning. The bolt struck Thranduil in the chest, the blue light flickering on Sivagami's pleased face. Thranduil was lifted from the ground and hurled back to its embrace, scorched and smoking.

Sivagami blasted Oropher, Jaiz, and Ellhamier back with an onrush of flames. Ellhamier's earth shield crumbled under the force of the flames. The three elves landed in a sprawled heap, fire roaring over their heads. The heat was unbearable. Sivagami smiled. "I will be merciful; your deaths will be swift!" She raised her hands.

The full moon sailed up into the sky, the clouds unveiling the shining orb. Pale moonbeams lit up the plains. A moonbeam sliced down and landed on Ciran. Water rippled over his body, glowing with the pale light. Ciran twitched. With movements slow and graceful yet harboring death, he rose to his feet.

"Must I kill you again?" Sivagami demanded with a sigh. A wave of fire burst to life behind her. It screamed over her head and crashed down around Ciran. Ciran continued to walk toward Sivagami, his eyes glowing. He created a swirling ball of water around himself to ward off the flames. It expanded outward, washing over the flames. Ciran shaped the water into a wave before him and shoved it at Sivagami.

Sivagami deflected the water but it took more of her power then she expected. Hardly had she burned aside the first wave then another one came toward her, followed by two more. Sivagami hurled herself into a frenzy, suddenly afraid, as she deflected the water away from herself. The water pounded against her fire.

Ciran brought an ocean of water out of the ground. He wrapped the water around all of the stone demons and froze it, encasing them in ice. Turning back to Sivagami, he summoned tendrils of water from the ground around her feet. The tendrils wrapped around her ankles and wrists, snaking over her neck and shoulders, pinning her together. The water sank into her flesh, turning into ice, binding her tight. Ciran turned back to the stone demons, melting their ice cage back into water. The demons crashed to the ground, stiff and not breathing. Ciran allowed the water he had summoned to ebb away. Blue streaks ran through his blond hair, driving away the blond. His soft blue hair blew out in the cool breeze behind him in rippling waves. Sivagami snarled.

"You rise with the sun," Ciran said. "I rise with the moon." He curled his fingers and water squeezed tight around Sivagami's neck, choking off her last threats. A great crash of thunder sounded overhead as Sivagami's lifeless body fell to the ground.

Ciran relaxed. He raised his head to look up at the moon. "Allow my soul to rest. May my choice be the right one."

Ciran looked around him. His companions lay exhausted and half-dazed. He was the only one on his feet. He set to work, making everyone comfortable and tending to their injuries. That done, he noticed the twins were missing. Leaving Oropher to rest, he went in search of his half-brothers.


	11. No One

Oropher groaned as he opened his eyes. The sun shone down on his face. He sat up carefully. Thranduil and Raileen were sleeping. Jaiz's head lay in his father's lap, his lips smiling as Ciran stroked his black hair. Oropher brushed his fingers along Galion's pale cheek. His twin sons lay curled beside him.

Oropher cleared his throat, and Ciran looked up. His blue-green hair fell in waves around his face, curling in the wind in much the same way it would float on water.

"Sivagami is dead," Ciran said bluntly. "I killed her."

Oropher shook his head. "No, Ciran. You did not kill Sivagami. Sivagami, my gentle wife and mother to my children, died long ago. You killed the Dark Lady. And it was the Dark Lady who killed my wife's spirit long ago."

Ciran nodded slowly, his eyes glowing with the luminescence of the moon.

"What wonders did the moon bestow upon you?" Oropher asked.

"Water benders draw their power from the moon," Ciran replied. "It is said the river sirens saw how they pushed and pulled the tides and learned to do it themselves."

"Your hair is blue," Oropher said thoughtfully.

Ciran laughed. "I drew upon so much of the moon's power, my hair responded in an odd way."

"An odd way indeed," Oropher agreed. Lailin stirred, mumbling. He curled closer to his twin. Oropher tucked the blanket firmly around both elflings and rose to his feet.

"How much time has passed since the stone demons were defeated?" Oropher asked.

"Five days," Ciran answered coolly.

Oropher's eyes bulged. "Five days? I have slept for five days?"

Ciran smiled gently. "You were tired."

"Where is Ellhamier?" Oropher asked, noticing the earth bender was missing. "He is not . . . ?"

"Ellhamier awoke two days ago. He decided he was ready to return to the conscious world. He has an amazing constitution."

"That is only natural as seeing he is as hearty as the earth itself," Oropher replied drily.

"And as stubborn!" Jaiz grunted. "He is as hard to budge as an gigantic boulder!"

"Who is?" Ellhamier demanded, striding into the camp. He held a turkey by the neck. "If we are talking about you, I agree!"

Jaiz snorted and sat up. He still looked pale and tired. Ciran said, "You still need rest, ion nin."

"I know. But if you think I will rest and let Ellhamier get away with eating that delicious gobbler all by himself, you must be out of your heavenly mind!"

Ciran raised a disapproving eyebrow. "That, hen nin, is a poor excuse to stay awake."

"I cam be as stubborn as Ellhamier," Jaiz said loftily.

"And as stupid," Ciran muttered.

"Excuse me?" Ellhamier said.

Ciran turned a baleful eye on the earth bender. "Did I say a word to you?" he snapped.

Oropher cleared his throat. "Ciran, I think perhaps you are in need of some rest. Looking after all of us cannot have been easy."

"Some people were not as helpful as they could have been," Ciran said icily.

Ellhamier bristled. "Ungrateful elf!"

Ciran held up a hand, pressing the other to his forehead. "Ellhamier, saes. My head aches to Valinor and back. I have not slept in five days; allow me some rest."

"That is nothing," Ellhamier scoffed. "In the mines I worked for days without food, drink, or rest."

"Ellhamier," Ciran pleaded.

"You are nothing but a pampered baby," Ellhamier said.

Ciran gritted his teeth. He was going to blast Ellhamier away. he could feel it coming—Oropher's voice said, "Leave Ciran alone, Ellhamier. If you worked for days without food, drink, or rest in the mines, I am sure you remember how it felt?"

Ellhamier shuddered with the memory. "It was sheer torture and I was but a young elfling—" Realization struck him and he said in a low voice, "Goheno nin, Ciran."

"No harm has been done," Ciran said tiredly. He flopped down in Oropher's abandoned spot, by the twins, asleep in an instant.

Ellhamier set the turkey up to roast. Oropher sat by the fire, gazing at Thranduil's peaceful face. A moment later his eyes widened. Valar, what did Thranduil think he was doing?!

Thranduil murmured. A light kiss landed on his lips. It must be ada . . . the kiss deepened. Thranduil did not like it. A warm body rolled on top of his. It began to move. Thranduil awoke with a jerk, panicking. He shoved the body away, screaming, "Ada, how dare you? You beast! Get away from me—Raileen?"

Raileen blinked hazily, awakening from his sleep. Horror swam through his eyes. He covered his hand with his mouth. "Goheno nin, goheno nin, goheno nin, goheno nin, Thranduil." He shied away from the prince.

"No, no, it is all right," Thranduil said hurriedly. "What happened? Were you dreaming?"

Wordlessly, Raileen nodded, twisting his hands in his lap. Tears swam in his eyes. "My father used to torture me by—by loaning me to various people. After being so close to my mother in Sivagami's body, the memories were revived. I-I mistook you for one of my—my old masters."

Thranduil struggled to keep his expression neutral. "What happened is no fault of yours, and you have my forgiveness."

"I will not sleep near you again," Raileen stammered, a dark flush spreading over his cheeks. He lowered his eyes with shame.

Thranduil reached out and took Raileen's trembling hands in his. "No, Raileen, you can sleep with me. It is not your fault your dreams are haunted."

Raileen looked up slowly. Fear shone in his eyes. He dropped his head again. "How far—what did I do to you?"

"You kissed me and assumed a rather uncomfortable position," Thranduil replied drily. He saw Raileen flinch. "You are my friend, Raileen, and I wish only to help you."

"You cannot help me! No one can! I cannot even control my own dreams! How can you bear to even so much as look at me?"

"After nine years of friendship, you have no need to ask such a question," Thranduil answered, holding out his arms to Raileen. "You know we are hear to help you."

Raileen hesitated before he crumped into Thranduil's arms. He rested his head on Thranduil's shoulder, feeling like a child yet cherishing the love.

Ellhamier poked the fire with a stick. "Lunch is ready."

Raileen let go of Thranduil, and both elves moved to sit by the fire.

Thranduil looked at Jaiz, "You look tired; I insist you sleep."

"I am fine, muinda," Jaiz protested.

"I can tell you are lying," Ellhamier said sweetly. "When someone lies, there are changes in their bodies that I sense in the ground's vibrations."

"Shut up!" Jaiz screamed. "I am sick of listening to you!"

Galion set up with a whimper and Ciran groaned in his sleep. Galion crawled to his father and burrowed into the folds of his robe, throwing afraid glances at Jaiz.

Ciran said icily, "Jaiz, to bed. At once."

"Yes, ada," Jaiz said meekly.

Ciran rolled onto his stomach with a snort and returned to his dreams. Jaiz fidgeted. He cast Ellhamier an annoyed look before he slid under the blanket beside his father. Ellhamier growled. He stood up and stomped out of the camp, the ground shaking beneath him. After a short while, Thranduil rose to his feet and followed Ellhamier. He found the elf sitting alone by himself.

"What is wrong, Ellhamier?" Thranduil asked softly.

Ellhamier kicked a hole into the ground. "Nothing, go away."

Thranduil squeezed Ellhamier's shoulder. "I told Raileen and I will tell you; I am here to help you. What has upset you?"

"None of your business!" Ellhamier yelled. "Leave me alone! You—you do not know how it feels!"

"How what feels?" Thranduil asked.

Ellhamier stared at his hands in silence. Presently, he peeked over his shoulder. Valar be damned, Thranduil was still there! Frustration hardened his chest. He slammed his fist down into the ground. "It is not fair!"

"What is not fair?" Thranduil coaxed.

"This—my life! You and Ciran and Jaiz all have parents! I have no one! My parents were slaughtered . . . I am nothing but an abandoned, tortured orphan who has no one! I-I cannot stand it!" He buried his face in his hands and sobbed. "What have I done to make everyone hate me? I cannot undo the past! It is not my fault I was a slave! I do not understand what I have done that taints me so!"

"You have not done anything, Ellhamier," Thranduil said gently. "But if you do not allow your feelings to shine, it can be hard for us to tell you need comfort and support."

"For as long as I can remember, I have had no one. The memory of my family is distant. I never thought I would want someone I could turn to for help."

"You can ask any of us for help," Thranduil said. "We are your family now, Ellhamier."

Ellhamier sniffed. With a shaky smile, he said, "We should return to camp before they eat all the turkey."


	12. The Return of the King

"You lived here?" Jaiz said, riding slowly as Greenwood the Great came into closer view. "Why did you leave, muinda? You have a beautiful home."

"All that is beautiful does not bring happiness," Thranduil replied. "After four thousand years of dwelling here, I think I am entitled to a hundred spent elsewhere."

"What does that mean?" Jaiz asked suspiciously.

"My father and I reached an agreement," Thranduil explained. "I will stay home for a year, perhaps two to be with my brothers. After that, I will leave for adventure again. I will return home periodically until my thirst for freedom is quenched."

"Well then, I am sure you will not mind if we stay with you during your vacations," Ellhamier said cheerfully. He turned to Oropher. "I want a four poster bed with a canopy, a huge room facing the rising moon, a dozen servants, and a private snack cupboard."

Oropher smiled. "Perhaps that can be arranged. But you will have to make allowances for the way things work in my realm."

"Your realm!" Ellhamier scoffed, waving a hand. "How grand that sounds!"

"Do not forget I am the prince of the realm," Thranduil said. "Therefore you will have to treat me with proper respect."

Ellhamier laughed. "Fat chance, mellon nin! Fat chance! After many years of friendship, it will take ninety to make me bow down on one knee and call you "your majesty"!"

Thranduil sighed. "I expected no less. But my ada . . . he is different."

"Of course, I must remember to call him dearest friend and drape my arm around his shoulders every change—hey!"

Thranduil reached over and slapped Ellhamier's horse on the rump. "Take your saucy self where we will not suffer the indignities of your verbiage!"

"Muinda?"

"What is it, Jaiz?" Thranduil inquired.

"As you are a prince and all, I was wondering . . . what you told Ellhamier . . . is that the royal way to say 'shut up'?"

Raileen quickly looked away, trying to muffle his laughter. Jaiz looked expectantly at Thranduil. Thranduil nodded, managing to keep a straight face.

The horses and moose walked across the grassy plains, toward the borderline of Greenwood the Great as it neared them. The leafy green trees cast a shadow before them on the grass, and the knurled trunks of the old, regal trees could be seen in the shadows of the forest. The horses had been walking for many days, bound for Oropher's realm.

"If you all intent to stay with me during Thranduil's stay, there is a price," Oropher said slyly.

Ellhamier reined in his galloping horse as he approached the group and demanded indignantly, "What?"

"You heard me correctly," Oropher said.

"What is your price?" Ciran asked calmly.

"There is a river flowing through Greenwood the Great," Oropher said mischievously. "And I do not like the way it flows."

"I see," Ciran said. "But do you not think the natural flow of the river should go unhindered?"

"No, I do not. The river has chosen a path that inconveniences my home. All it needs is a little encouragement in the right direction."

Ciran considered Oropher's 'price'.

"The river flows a few miles before my palace," Oropher said. "It should flow directly before the great doors of my home. And, of course Ellhamier, if you want servants, you would have to make me a bridge so I could cross the flowing waters and enter my home."

"And if we refuse?" Ellhamier said boldly.

"No four poster bed, private quarters, or servants for you," Oropher replied.

"We submit to the will of the great King Oropher," Ellhamier said with a sarcastic bow.

"I will wait until the next full moon," Ciran said. "I will need its lunar power to complete a task so great I must alter the course of the river itself."

It took the party a few days ride through the forest to reach the palace. Sunlight slanted down through the thick roof of green leaves overhead, casting its golden light on the grassy ground and shining on the old, proud trunks of the trees. The cool air smelled of pine and birch, and the winding paths the horses trod were lined by moss. Clear brooks wound through the glades, running merrily over flat rocks and large stones. Small waterfalls fell splashing into wide, deep pools. Birds and squirrels perched on the broad, flat branches of the trees, worn smooth by the feet of elves.

"One would think the King would be as pleasant as his home," Ellhamier remarked, managing to insult Oropher and appreciate the beauty around him all in one sentence.

The horses passed elves walking in the forest or climbing nimbly through the trees. As they neared the palace, the glades filled with shrieking elven children, splashing in the pools or trying stubbornly to shoot straight arrows from their bows. As the elves caught sight of their King, joyful calls ran through the trees, "The King has returned!"

Many of the elves clustered behind the horses, following them to the palace. The horses came out of the trees and emerged into a grassy stretch of land. At the far end of it, the tall doors of the palace stood waiting. Two guards in silver armor stood outside the main doors, staring grimly at each other, their spears held tightly in their armored hands. As the sylvan elves swarmed from the trees behind the King and his party, the palace doors opened and en elf rushed out.

"Hir nin, my joy is great to know you are home! We feared your life may have been taken in the fire or by something far worst."

"This is my Captain of the Guard, Faerthorin" Oropher said, sliding off his horse. "He is one of my most trusted friends besides."

Faerthorin bowed. "I see you have brought guests, hir nin. I . . . do not see the Queen?"

Oropher drew in a deep breath. Quietly, he said, "My wife's spirit has departed this world for Valinor. Queen Sivagami is no more."

Faerthorin drew in a quick breath. "I-I grieve with thee."

"Hannon le," Oropher said softly. Raising his voice, he said, "My guests are tired after the long journey and I must tidy myself. Though I have not brought home my wife, I have brought home my son."

"Thranduil?" said Faerthorin in surprise. His face spread into a smile as Thranduil stepped into sight behind his father. "My lord, I am overjoyed to know you have come home."

Thranduil smiled. "I find certain relief in being home."

* * *

 **You made it this far! I would love to hear your thoughts and/or suggestions.  
**


	13. Family Time

Ciran clasped his hands behind his back. He was standing on the balcony of his room, staring up at the night sky. The cool wind rustled his blue robes. It occurred to him he should change for bed. He turned around, and exclaimed, "Valar, you could have at least made a noise!"

"I knocked," Oropher said. "You heard me not."

Ciran frowned suspiciously. "I see. Excuse me while I change for bed."

Oropher waited for Ciran to change out of his robes and slip into his nightshirt.

"Do you want something?" Ciran asked.

"Yes. You are my son and I feel we have a lot to learn about one another."

Ciran sat down on the blue cover of his bed. "Where are the twins?"

"With Thranduil," Oropher answered. "It did not take much for him to put them to sleep. After todays celebration of my return, they were both exhausted."

Ciran yawned. "And I dare say I am to." He rose to his feet and pulled back the blankets of his bed. He slumped back against his pillows with a sigh.

"May I join you?" Oropher asked.

"If you are quiet," Ciran said drowsily. He shifted as Oropher lay down next to him, his shoulders and back supported by the soft pillows.

"Ada!" the door flew open and both Ciran and Oropher looked up.

Jaiz burst into the room, skidding to a halt at the sight of Oropher.

"What?" Ciran asked.

"Nothing," Jaiz said slyly. "I figured I would have a drink." He slammed the door and fled before Ciran could say a word.

"How strong is your wine?" Ciran asked Oropher.

"One cup full and he will be off his head," Oropher said drily. "Two cups full and valar knows where he will be."

"There is no better way to learn limits then to wake up with a splitting head ache," Ciran said unsympathetically.

* * *

Galion lay in pleasantly warm darkness, feeling a warm body next to him. He wondered where he was, his heart pounding in his chest. Then he remembered. Thranduil had sung him and his brother to sleep. The memory brought a smile to his lips and his frightened heart slowed. He yawned and stretched.

"Good morning," Thranduil said drowsily.

"Good morning," Galion said shyly.

On Thranduil's other side, Lailin sat up, exclaiming loudly, "Good morning, brothers! Are you going to teach Galion to fire bend now, Thranduil? Are you? Are you?"

"I do not wish to learn," Galion said meekly.

"When your brother is ready, I will do my best to teach him," Thranduil said sleepily. "Stop bouncing on the bed, Lailin."

* * *

 **I thank deeply all of you who are taking the time to read my work. I appreciate it very much. So, thank you.  
**


	14. War Sailing

**66 Years Later**

* * *

"But I want to go!" Lailin said, glaring at his father. "I can fight, ada! I have a right to protect the world I live in!"

"I said no!" Oropher snapped. "I will hear no more out of you!"

Lailin took a step backward, afraid. He recovered and said, "But I am seventy five! I want to go with you to battle Sauron! I want to fight! How can you say I must stay here while you go to war?"

"Life is not fair, ion nin," Oropher said. "This conversation is over."

Lailon glared at his father, refusing to take the dismissal. "This conversation is far from over! I want to go to war and fight! I will go unless you give me just reason for forbidding it!"

Oropher drew his hand back and slapped Lailin hard across his face. "Is that reason enough? How dare you question me! My word is what goes!"

Lailin stumbled back, staring at his father in shock. Oropher has never struck him before and the slap knifed his heart. He was unused to Oropher's anger. his hurt feelings showed in his eyes but Oropher met them coldly.

"Go to your room," Oropher said.

Lailin turned and walked away from his father, tears brimming in his eyes. Had he no right to fight against Sauron, alongside his loved ones? Why must ada forbid it? He would go! No one could stop him! Galion might be content to stay at home but he was not!

* * *

The flames of battle were many and its grievances as great. Dying elves lay among the human, orc, and elven corpses on the grounds. Oropher stood among them, silent tears sliding down his face as he shared in the grief of the many dead and the sadness of those who lived but still lost their loved ones.

"The war may be over," Oropher said to himself. "But the battle has hardly begun. Though Sauron is defeated, his wrath has still scarred this world."

Thranduil . . . Oropher looked up as his eldest son walked across the smoky battlefield, his armor stained red and burned, his eyes aged by the memories of the terrible battle that was now over.

"Ciran is helping the wounded," Thranduil said. "Jaiz, Ellhamier, and Raileen are searching among the dead for the living."

In his heart, Thranduil knew he had altered history by saving his father from dying during the war, as he had been fated to. he was grateful to still have his father but he wondered what the change of fate would bring about.

Suddenly Raileen gave a cry. "Oropher! Thranduil! Come quickly!"

Oropher's heart fluttered. He and Thranduil ran toward Raileen, where he knelt beside an elf in the armor a Greenwood guard.

"Oh, valar, no!" Oropher gasped. He dropped to his knees beside Raileen, his fingers fumbling with the fastenings on the breastplate. The armor was stained and dented but it held not a Greenwood guard but Oropher's son, who had disobeyed the orders of his father and come to fight in the war.

Oropher tugged the breastplate from Lailin's chest. His hands trembled, and tears sprang into his eyes at the sight of the bloody wounds on his son's chest.

Lailin moaned, his eyes fluttering open. Oropher gently held his son to his own armored chest, murmuring, "Oh, Lailin, Lailin, what have you done? What have I done?"

Lailin sighed miserably. His eyes showed an elf many years older then the young age of seventy five.

"You will recover, my sweet Lailin," Oropher murmured reassuringly. "Everything will be fine."

Lailin choked on a quiet sob. "I-I will recover physically, ada, but mentally and emotionally by heart and mind will remain torn with these horrible memories of war. You were right, ada. I should not have come. I am too young to live with this. I-I have stupidly injured myself permanently and it you who must suffer for it. I-I am sorry, ada."

Oropher kissed Lailin on the forehead. "You are forgiven. It is my fault; I should have explained myself to you rather then trying to solve it by striking you. I ask for your forgiveness to."

Lailin smiled slightly.

"Will you try and recover from your wounds?" Oropher asked.

"I—will try," Lailin said in a small voice.

Lailin tried his best to heal but the war has broken his youthful spirit and the life had gone from his eyes. Even after the wood elves returned to Greenwood the Great, he tried hard to stay alive. He began to fade, haunted by nightmares of war. He tried to hide it from his father, not wanting to grieve him. But he became thin and pale for all his efforts.

Lailin came to his father at last, so weak he leaned on his twin.

"My brother has something he needs to say, ada," Galion said, struggling to steady his trembling voice. "Please listen to him and stay your anger."

Oropher looked up from behind his desk. He dropped his pen and sprang to his feet, worried by Lailin's appearance. "Speak, ion nin. Do no be afraid."

"Ada, I-I am fading. Memories of war torture me hour after hour. My spirit is broken by the horrors I saw a year ago, on the battlefield, for I was too young to receive them. I am truly sorry I am so weak. I ask your permission to sail to Valinor so I may live in peace and not die of painful memories. Please, ada. I beg you to release me."

The wine goblet in Oropher's hands fell to the floor. Oropher slowly picked it up and set it on the desk. He faced his pleading son.

"Please," Lailin pleaded. "I know it is shameful but I cannot live!"

Oropher engulfed his son in a hug. "Nay, nay, Lailin, there is no shame in injury. By saying what your heart feels, you have shown courage and bravery. You tried to recover from your wounds."

"But I failed," Lailin said bitterly. "I tried to do as you asked and I failed."

"But you did as I asked and now I will ask no more. War is a painful thing. It haunts you, I know. There is no weakness in that, ion nin."

"I do not wish to leave you, ada," Lailin sobbed. "I love you so much. I love Galion and Thranduil."

"You will not have to leave me," Oropher said tenderly. "For I will sail with you."

Lailin jerked back, his eyes wide. "What? Why?"

Oropher looked at his desk with a sigh. "I have lived a long life. but now after so many centuries I begin to tire. It will be a blessing to sail to Valinor and see Sivagami." His voice held happiness at the thought.

"Would you have gone if I had not spoken of it?" Lailin asked.

"No. I would not have wanted to leave you."

Lailin smiled. "I-I am happy to have such a good ada."

Oropher gathered Lailin and Galion into a hug. "And I am blessed to have such good sons."

"I-I will miss you, ada," Galion said. "And you to, Lailin. But I must stay here. My place is with Thranduil."

"We know," Lailin said softly. "He is the one who truly healed the damage done to you by Sivagami in her wicked state."

* * *

Thranduil sat with Ciran on a balcony. Between them, a table held a wine bottle. Both sons turned to greet their father as Oropher stepped out onto the balcony behind them.

"Lailin and I sail for Valinor within a month," Oropher said softly, holding his son's pale hand in his. Lailin leaned against his shoulder.

Thranduil dropped his wine cup. "What?"

"I am sorry," Lailin whispered.

Thranduil leaped to his feet. "No, no, Lailin, you must not be sorry. There is nothing to be sorry for. I understand you are hurt by memories of war and you wish to rest where those memories will not haunt you."

Lailin buried his face in Thranduil's chest and sobbed. Thranduil patted his back. "It is all right, Lailin. I will miss you but I will know you are happy and even from afar I will feel your joy."

Lailin stood back, wiping his eyes. "You will have Galion. He is much closer to you then I am for he has the fire bending and I do not."

Thranduil waved that away as he turned to his father. "Of course you must go with Lailin, ada. He needs you more then I do."

"I know it will be hard for you to become king so abruptly," Oropher faltered. "I am sorry I must leave you like this."

Thranduil shook his head. "Adam I know Sivagami's death tore you more then you let on. I know you loved her, even when the Dark Lady took her soul. I know also you are tired of this life, ada. Please go if it will make you happy. I have ability and drive, ada, Greenwood the Great will be in fine hands."

Oropher sighed. He embraced his son. "Hannon le, ion nin. Yes, I am tired, and I wish to be with Sivagami. Thank you for being so understanding."

"We will accompany both of you to the harbor," Ciran said, coming to hug his father.

"The knowledge that I must leave you pains me but knowing my sons have such open hearts lessens the hurt," Oropher said.

* * *

Thranduil stood on the harbor, watching the ship depart for Valinor. Oropher and Lailin were gone. Even though Oropher had not died during the war, Thranduil had still lost him. History had come out ahead either way. His heart felt heavy in his chest as he turned away from the empty sea. Ciran, Jaiz, Ellhamier, Raileen. And Galion were all standing behind him.

Thranduil drew himself up. Oropher was gone. Lailin was gone. And he had a kingdom to run.

Thranduil had to stop going off on small journey's as one of the Five Masters for being King Thranduil Oropherion required a lot of time. But having a wife made it more appealing to stay at home. And he truly loved Cinwe with all his heart. When he wished to relive his memories of adventure, he would sit down and open one of his journals.

* * *

 **Yes, this is the end but not the end. The adventure continues in the Benders: Web of Lies. If you enjoyed Benders and you wish to continue into the married life of Thranduil and Cinwe, check it out when the first chapter is up!  
**

 **Thank you all for reading.**


End file.
